2000 Dodge Viper Gts Coupe 2-door 8.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

A look at the Dodge Demon's drag settings, modes, and go-fast tech

In the same video that gave us a peek at the 2018 Dodge Challenger SRT Demon's performance stats, there's a serious dump of info on the tech and tools that will likely help this muscle coupe slaughter drag strips. Dodge has outlined a few of them for us and we're using the power of inference to figure out the rest. Here's what we've gathered. A lot of these hints come from the Demon's version of Performance Pages, the infotainment screens that show what SRT models are doing and let the driver change the powertrain and chassis setup. There are a lot of Demon-only features, including line lock, a quick cooldown mode for the supercharged engine, and data recording. And of course there are pages to show a digital time slip with acceleration and braking figures, a g-load plot, and lots of gauges to track temps and levels. The engine output is shown in the video on a special Dyno page. It tracks horsepower and torque over time on the upper graph, and engine rpm and shift points on the lower graph. And we think it's still hiding something. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Any good drag car has a line lock, allowing the driver to lock the front brakes and leave the rears free to do a nice tire-warming (or tire-shredding, depending on length) burnout. Ford has it on the Mustang, Chevy puts it on the ZL1, and now Dodge is adding it to the Demon. It should help get the giant Nitto tires up to temp for a drag run. And once the tires are warm, there's launch control, just like on the SRT Hellcat, with selectable rpm to dial things in for the conditions. The Demon also has a shift light in the cluster, and the driver can set a shift point individually for each gear. After each drag run, you can activate Quick Cooldown, which Dodge says uses the first production application of After-Run Chiller – it runs the cooling fan and intercooler coolant pump with the engine off until the coolant reaches its target temp. It's shown in one of the slides above. The checklist on the left side of that page suggests it requires a set of conditions be met to work: engine off, hood open, and sufficient battery level. This further reinforces our theory that the supercharger is going to make big boost, beyond the Hellcat's 11.6 psi. And while you're waiting for the supercharger to cool off for another run, you can review the performance data the car records.

NHTSA investigates FCA for SUVs that roll out of Park

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening a preliminary evaluation into the 2014 Dodge Durango and 2014-205 Jeep Grand Cherokee after 14 complaints of the SUVs rolling out of Park. An estimated 408,000 of them could be affected, if a recall is necessary. All of the current complaints submitted to NHTSA about the issue concern the Grand Cherokee, and the claims allege that the SUV can roll out of Park whether or not the engine is running. Some folks report that they check the indicator each time because the gear sometimes fails to engage. Among the 14 cases, there are five accounts of crashes and three injuries, including a situation with someone allegedly being rolled over. NHTSA's preliminary evaluations are meant to investigate "the scope, frequency, and safety-related consequence" of a reported problem. They don't necessarily lead to a recall. Related Video: INVESTIGATION Subject : Unattended vehicle rollaway Date Investigation Opened: AUG 20, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: PE15030 Component(s): POWER TRAIN All Products Associated with this Investigation Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) DODGE DURANGO 2014 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 2014-2015 Details Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) SUMMARY: The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received 14 complaints (VOQs) alleging that after being placed in Park the subject vehicles have then rolled away from their parked position. The unintended motion has occurred with both the engine off and the engine running. ODI has also identified EWR field report data related to the alleged defect. The model year 2014 and 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles are equipped with an electronic gear selector (shift-by-wire system). The gear selection is made by pressing the shifter-paddle forward or backwards; the shifter does not move along a gate path as with conventional gear selectors. A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to asses the scope, frequency, and safety-related consequence of the alleged defect. The VOQs associated with the opening of this investigation are: 10733158, 10730952, 10683556, 10679497, 10583366, 10725429, 10715401, 10711893, 10676998, 10668651, 10662619, 10662308, 10605865, and 10567538.

Fiat Chrysler taps Amazon, Shell execs to fill roles

MILAN — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is tapping executives from Amazon and Shell Oil Company with previous automotive industry experience to fill its ranks. CEO Mike Manley said in a letter to employees Thursday that Mark Stewart would join FCA as chief operating officer of North America from Amazon, "a company known for its culture of innovation, and obsession with delivering incredible value to customers." At Amazon, Stewart led teams focused on advanced robotics, artificial intelligence and automation methods. He previously was COO of ZF TRW automotive components supplier. Niel Golightly was named head of global communications. He was most recently Shell's vice president for external relations in North and South America, with a focus on reputation, brand and stakeholder engagement beyond communication strategies. He previously held roles at Ford Motor Company. Related Video: Image Credit: REUTERS/Rebecca Cook Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Alfa Romeo Chrysler Dodge Fiat Jeep RAM FCA Amazon shell Mike Manley